PASIG CITY—Jose Rizal University (JRU) clinched its third consecutive championship at the NCAA Season 99 track and field tournament held at PhilSports, bolstered by standout performances including multiple record-breaking feats from Southeast Asian Games relay champion Frederick Ramirez.
According to Philippines News Agency, Ramirez led the JRU Heavy Bombers with three gold medals, setting new records in the 400m and 200m sprints. He clocked 46.95 seconds in the 400m, surpassing his own record of 48.03 seconds set last year. In the 200m, his time of 21.43 seconds broke the previous record of 21.93 seconds held by Russel Galleon, another JRU athlete, since six years ago. Ramirez also contributed to a gold medal in the 4x400m relay and took home a bronze in the 800m.
The competition saw other record-setting performances across both senior and junior divisions. Eugene Bongalos from Arellano University achieved a new record in pole vaulting, while Leonard Grospe from Mapua University set new benchmarks in high jump and won additional golds in long jump and triple jump. In the juniors' division, JRU's Randy Degolacion set a new record in the 800m, and Perpetual Help's John Kervy Dianito did so in the javelin throw.
JRU's head coach, Jojo Posadas, remarked on the significance of these consecutive wins, noting that the team could have achieved even more if not for the disruption caused by the pandemic. Under his guidance, JRU has now secured ten titles overall.
The tournament standings saw JRU leading with 826.5 points, followed by Mapua University with 584 points and Arellano University with 540 points in the seniors' division. In the juniors' division, Perpetual Help took the title with 804.5 points, JRU followed with 657.25 points, and Arellano secured third place with 503.5 points.